The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-19
LIFE IN LIBERIA.
A Wonderful Poison Test by Which . oue.
ton of Murder Was Settled.

| A Wonderful Poison Test by Which q Cu..
ton OF Murder Was Settled.
New York Special.
Bishop Taylor writes to Richard Grant n.
treasurer. from Cape Pa:mas, Africa, an accours
of q poison test which his party saw at Baraka
| twelve miles, by footpath, from Cape Palma.
He says: Bette Tubman, Julia Fletcher and
sister Smith occupied the best house in tn
place 1t was thirty feet in diameter, round !.
a perfect circle, with an upper story reached bv
a movabl ladder to bamboo platform. Abovs
was an apartment filed with stores. Ye. M
owner appeared. After Q few days we learned
that this was the house of King Ties first and
probably his best wife, but she was an ex,ls
from home Some months nth Abe, before Ts little girl
housewife was accused OF causing the death Of
the little girl by wtchcraft and was condemned
to drink saswood poison, but she escaped and ran
away While We were there she returned and
gave herself up to die On Friday of the week
we were there she drank basin of the poison
three times filled, but vomited profusely and
capped death. She had TO go through the same
ordeal on Saturday. was at work at our open
ing farm, ard knew nothing OF this deadly bnsi-
ness, but Amanda. Julia and Bette were present
and saw the awful work
The womans son. fne-looking young man
went with our women to the place of execution
The saswood was beaten in a mortar and mixed
with water This deadly poison was dipped
into a basin to tho extent of nearly half gallon
The woman looked at it and talked to it. She
had three little pebbles and as she talked to the
deadly poison she tapped the edge of the basin
with one of the pebbles and threw one pebble
AWAY and dropped another into the poison
Then she made an appeal to God: 20 Niswai
If have killed anybody let me drink this and
up and live" Then she bent over the basin and
drank it to tho dregs. 1t was filled again. and
tho poor woman talked to 1t again and drank it
third time it was filed, and she drank nearl,
all when the young man who was administering
said: THAT will do" and threw the remainder
out Our women cried and prayed for the poo;
woman, but could do no more.
Next morning before day we heard tremen
dous booming of guns. signal that the womas
had been saved from death-that Niswa had
saved her because she was not guilty. Their
began ono of the most wonderful days eve
Witnessed, with marching, dancing, shouting
beating of drums, firing of guns. etc. The WON
an redeemed from death was fne-looking
specimen Of a heroine. She led the procession
of dancing women like Miriam at the Red sea-
The scenes Of joy. ever changing on that day,
are utterly indescribable. More than two months
have elapsed, but learned yesterday that the
women have been dancing for JOY ever since.
The dances this occasion arc of the order Of
the olden time, when King David danced before
the ark
Bishop Taylor makes his journey up and
down the coast on the sea in a small boat, under
sail when there is wind. with oars when there
is not He writes as follows regarding the
climate: sWhcn the church appointed me II
this work. sharing. as I did, in the appre
henson of the deadly climate of Africa, especial
IL of Liberia, gave myself up die. and /.
die like a soldier. at the front. But have
entirely changed my mind in regard to thu
perllS or life In TINS country, especially "
Liberia, which I believe TO be a healthful
climate. much moro so than the eastern shor<
of Maryland, Jersey or New York, and far
ahead of the new settlements OF the Missis
sppi valley. 1t is equable. salubriou
climate. with no plague of f1ies and but few
mosquitoes. OF all the kings and chiefs of thesf
seventeen towns lin Liberia) | can recall =
mind but one who consented to receive !.
colored man as their teacher or missionary
They have an experience with class o
Liberian teachers that leads them to this pro
test